Refrigeration



Aug. 15, 1944.

5. ALARSSON REFRIGERATION Filed July 27, 1942 EXPANSION VALVE.

OMPRESSOR S. Arne Larssow MOTOR Patented Aug. 15,1944

UNITED 'STATES f A-T Plas-Matic, Inc; New of New York Application July 27, 1942, serial No. 452,498 1 12 Claims. (Cl. 625 W This invention relates to refrigeration, and more particularly to freezing of the contents of containers.

. thereof.

One object of the invention is toprovide an.

improved and more expeditious wayv of freezing duction method.

Another object is to provide an improvedway of quickly freezing liquid or other contents of.

sealedcontainers. Another objectis to provide animproved way to arrange sealed containers and quickly freeze their contents without damaging or breaking said containers. I a

Another object is to provide an improved way of increasing conduction-freezing effect upon the contents of a sealed container in order to more quickly freeze said contents.

Another object is to provide a way to quickly freeze liquid or othercontents of a sealed glass container by the conduction method and without cracking or breaking said container. Another object is to provide a way to'increase the expansion surface of. liquid in a sealed con- .tainerand thereafter .quickly freeze the liquid, without damage to. or breaking of the container,

through conduction freezing effect produced upon said container.

Another object is to provide improved means for freezing liquid or other contents of a sealed I container by conduction of the freezing effect thereto.

Another object is to provide freezing means which willsupport a sealed liquid container'in inclined position to produce increased expansion surface of its-liquid contents and thus prevent damage to or breaking of said container through freezing ofsaid contents therein by said means,

Another object is to provide quick freezing means which will afford increased freezing effect by conduction upon liquid or other contentsof ,a'sealed container and thus more quickly freeze said contents in said container. Y

' Another object is to provide freezing means constructed to support a sealed glass container in inclined position to increase expansion surface of liquid therein, and which is operable, without cracking or breaking of the container, to quickly freeze the liquid in said container when it is supported in said position.

7 Another object is to provide freezing means I which hasthe freezing parts thereof arranged -in-an'improved manner suchas to produce inv the contents of individual containers by the consaid tiieans. with resultingincreased efficiency Another object is to provide improved freezing means of the. conduction type which willquickly freeze the contents. of sealed containers, enable circulation of air about the containers in a compartment in which they areplaced to freeze said contents, and afford ready access to said compartment for'placing of, the containers-therein and removal of the containers therefrom.

These. and other objects of the. invention will appear. from the following descriptionthereof."

In carryingout the invention any suitable type of refrigerating apparatus may beused that is 'to say, one. of the brine type, orof the inert gas type, or of the compressor:condenseree'xpander .type, etc. -.Asshown in the accompanying drawing forming part ofthis specification :therefrigerating apparatus is of the compressor-condenser-expander ty'pe,.but it is to be expressly understood that the invention 'is not limited to use of that particular type ofapparatus.

In said drawing: g

Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view, partly in elevation, of a, refrigerator. constructed to embody and carry out-the invention; and a Fig.2 is adiagrammatic view, partlyiin perspective and partly in elevation, of a compression-condenser-expander type refrigeration system for the refrigerator shown in Fig. 1. v

Referring to the drawing, 3 indicates anelectric motor (Fig. 2) supplied from a suitable source 'with electric current and started and stoppedv by any suitable means such as a thermally con trolled switch (not shown.) mature shaft 4 having fixed thereon apulley'5 aroundwhich passes a belt 5. Motor 3 and belt Bjdrive a compressor '1. ofany 'suitabletype", and for this purpose belt 6' passes around. a pulley 8 fixed on the driveshaft 9 of said compressor.

' Compressor 1.deliv ers compressed refrigerant fluid through a conduit I0 .into a finned, air cooled condenser H wherein the refrigerant fluid is condensed toliquid. From condenser H the liquid refrigerantflows through aconduit I2 and an expansion valve! of any-suitable type. The liquid refrigerant flowing from valve l3 passes through a conduit. I4 into and through a quick creased circulation of freezing medium through freezing unit. or expander indicated broadly at IS. The freezing unit l5 comprises, .in addition to freezing parts or coils hereinafter described, a shell open at the top and made of galvanized sheet iron or. other suitable metal. This shell has upwardly and outwardly inclined side walls l6 and'l'l (Fig. 1), a rear wall l8, a front wall Motor 3 has an ari9 and some. 1) of'theshell. hand coil of theplurality ofcoils 30 refrigerant" not shown)? and a-bottom comprlsing walls In and Ill-inclined downwardly and outwardly to the bottoms of said sidewalls from the center of said shell.

Arranged within the shell. and connected with its front and rear walls are bailiesindicated broadly at 2! and 22. These baiiies are inclined upwardly and outwardly fromthe center of the shell in spaced parallel relation withwalls I 8 and l1, and said baffles are spaced'from each; other and from the bottom and top of the shell to afford circulation ofair within said shell in clock:- wise and counter-clockwise directions indicated by the curved arrows in Fig. 1. Baiiies fl'and 22 include sidewalls 2! and sidewalls. made .of

galvanized sheet iron or. other suitable 'r'n'etal'and I spaced apart for purposes hereinafter set forth.

Refrigerant flows from pipe I 4 upwardly Suitable insulating material 42 is packed in compartment ll around unit II, and cover 4i is comprised by a metal shell filled with insulating material u.

During operation of the refrigerating apparatus the side, rear and front walls of the shell, and the walls 24 oi'baiiles 2i and 22, will become extremely cold so that whensealed containers are placed inthe shelland supported therein in in- ,olined positions by the walls, liquid or other contents of the containers will be quickly frozen by conduction of refrigerating efiect from said walls through the containers to their contents. Sealed containers for liquid placedand supported in the shell are inclined in a manner such that increased expansion surface of the liquid is produced and damageto or breaking of the containers is prevented when their contents are frozen.

through a plurality of coils 25 arranged oneabov'eanother inbaille 2 I. Pipe i4v is connected through the front of the shellwith the lowermost of the coils 2!, andsaid. coils are soldered or' otherwise suitably secured upon the wall 24 of baffle 2| in good direct thermal'contact with that wall. From the uppermost of. coils 2irefrigerant: flows 'through'a'; pipe 28' (Fig; 2)"into the-uppermost of a plurality of coils 21 andthen downwardly therethrough. V Coils 21*are' arranged -one above another in baffle 22. and 'pipe 26-'conn'ects the uppermost of coils Hand-25 through'the walls 24. of saidbaiile and the baiile 2|. coils fl are 1 soldered or otherwise-suitablysecured on thewall u ofbaffle n in good directthermal Contact with thatwall. Cork .orother suitable insulating materialflis packed-inbaiiies 2i and" to' insulate the coils:ther'ein from-all surfaces'of said baffles except-those of thewalls 24.'= Y

- From. the lowermostof'coils 21 refrigerant flowssthrougha pipe!!- (Fig. 2) intothe right hand coil of a'plur'ality of coils'liF-andthen through saidjcoils. to the lefthandcoil of said plurality. Coils are soldered or'otherwise suitably secured in good direct thermal con'tactiwith the outer surfaces of the-inclined'bottomwalls flowsinto the-lowermost of a plurality of .coils 2i and-then upwardly through the latter; Coils II are soldered or o'therwise'suitably secured'inv good direct thermal contact with the'outer surfaces of the 'sidey're'ar and front walls of the shell. e The coils 25, 21, "and II are made of copper or other suitable metal; and from the uppermost of the-coils 2| refrigerant fluid fiows th'rou'gh a From the left -'Thus; asshown in Fig. 1, a sealed glass container having liquid therein is placed in the unit I! and supported by walls l6 and is in inclined position. An increased expansion surface 48 0f the liquid 45' is thus. produced which prevents cracking'or breaking of the glass container 44:: when said liquid is frozen therein. Container 44 may beround' or rectangular in cross-section, but in-either case two surfaces of the container bear against extremely cold walls of the unit is so that the contents of the container will be quickly frozen.

Further, container 44 may be positioned in a .comer of unit it as, for example, the rear left comeryin which case the bottom of'the container would'engage coldside wall 16 of'the unit andthe side of the container would engage 'cold'bottom .wall. and cold rear wall I! of said unit. Thecontents of container 44 would thus even'be more quickly frozen, and if container 44 were in this case rectangularin' 'crosssection, three surfaces of the container, to wit,

the bottom and: two sides thereof would have I freezing effect applied therethrough to the contents of the container to more quicklyfreeze said contents.

I Instead of .arranging'containersin the shell so that their sides rest. on the bottom thereof as in the case of container 44,-container's-may be arranged in the shell so that their bottoms rest on the bottom of said shell. Thus, as shown in Fig. 1, two sealed glass containers 4! and 42 having liquid. therein are placed in the unit l5, so that the bottoms ofsaid containersrest on the cold bottom wall 20 and the containers'are spaced. apart by spacers :49 onsaid'bottom wall.

pipe 32 back to compressor I whichco'mp'resses the refrigerant and circulates it throughthede- :scribed compressor-condenser expander' refrigcrating apparatus in the manner eirplained above.

a top wall 25, and'anintermediatewall ii made of sheet metalfand bolted orv otherwisesuit'ably secured together. Cabinet 33 is provided with a compartment '31 in which-the quick' freezing I unit i5 is arranged. Cabin'et 3351s provided below the compartment with a compartments! forv the motor' 3,cornp'ressor 1 andcondenserjl i, and they'areeonnected through wall 38 with unit by the pipes I 4- and 3 2.Compartment 3t has arropening 39 which maybe closed a door (notshown). 'I'hequick freezing unit 15 is open at the top thereof, and th'etop'wall 35' of cabinet 33 is provided .'-above said unitwith an'opening 40 in which is positioned a removable cover 4i.

,Container 41 will, accordingly, be supported in inclinedposition. andits side engages cold wall f 24 .oiv b anie". Container -48'-will, accordingly, also b e supported in inclined position and its'side In Fig. 1 there is shown a refrigeratorcabint 5 indicated broadly at and havingside walls, '34,

engages coldwall I! .of the shell. Inc'reasedexpansion surfaces 50 of the liquid 45 in'the glass [containers 4l.and .48.;are thus pro'ducedwhich .preventcracking or breaking-of said containers when said liquid is frozen therein.

Containers 41 and 48 maybe round or rec'- tangular in cross-section but in either'case two surfaces. of each container, bearagainstextreme- .ly'cold walls offthe unit it so. that the contents of the, containers willbe quicklyfrozen. Fur ther, containers ,41 and, 48 may bepositionedin corners of unit i5.as, for example, the rear corner formed by baiile 22 and wall it, and'the rear corner formedby said walland the wall H. In this case, the sidesof containers "and would also engagecold' wall 18. The contents of v containers Hand 48 would thus even be .more

- "'Ihepheli oithe'xquick ti'eezing' unit be "of desired dimensions and lcapacity' ac- 1- quickly iroaen and it the containers 4*! and II were in this casevrectansullr' incl nes-section; 'threeauriacesoi eachcontalnerg-fto wiaithe bottom and two sides thereofzwouldi' haveireezlng: effectapplied th'erethrcu ltto the containercona te'n-ts to -morequickly'treeaeithe sa'r'rie.v

commodate a plurality of sealedfcontainers in; each of two: "compartments S l and 52* definedlby the 'shellwails andtheba'nlesand a plurality-oi? containers could be positioned like container in 'eachof the compartments =5 I: 52" which case spacers would be: omittedfi'ora plurality of containers could be positioned like containers andx' on and around all-of the cold walls of compartments- 5! and. '5 in-whi'ch case; wait t9 could-- be .previded' with spacers like thoseindif cated at}! on wall 20 In any case, bellies 2i. and H afiord circulation "of: "air, as indicated. by

the curved arrows in Fig. 1;'throug'h-co1rrpart-- ments 5i and 52, between the sealed containers, and around the baffles whereby' to assist quick freezing of the contents of the sealed containers -by unit t}, If 'desired-,' circu1ation or aircould I be produced by a-fan (not shown) arrangedwithin the un'it'and constructed andioperated; ink-any suitablemanner.

The operation 'of the refrigerator will be clear- =ly understood from thexforegoingfand mai be briefly summarized as iollows. "Motor {3 drives compressor 1 and refrigerant fluid; flowing in the:

V -dire'ctio'nofthe arrows (fi.-2 ).,'circulates through the condenser "I l, (the unit l i andsaid compressor throu'ghithe described connections "therebe'twe'en;

Fhe side, rear and front waklls' of the shell? of the :quick freezing unit/for expander 1 5, the walls 2 4 "ofth'e bames 'zt and are thusw'refrigera ted and maintained extremly cold for quick freezingof liquid or other-contents 'of sealed containers such as indicated at ll, '11 -and placedin the unit and supported iii-inclined positions therein in any'of the ways-above described. The

to the sheilwall's. and: b'afllesto ireezethe contents: of sealed containers placed in the shell.

' rurtherathe invention-may be embodied in and carriediout apparatusivhich feeds sealedjcontion out, orxotherwise than by the terms of the 1 tainers oneatter'another and freezes-their contentsgasawelli as: in a refrigerator such as herein shown whereinw the" sealed. containers are stationaryduring freezing of: their contents. It isthere- I foreto be expressly understood that the invenl0" tionxis not limited} to the structure herein described forembodying andi carryingnsaid invenappendedclaims;

Having thus 'descrihed' my invention what I 1;; The-method of refrigerating a container enclosing a vapor-space and. contents comprising "fluent matter which expands on freezingsaid methddcomprising supporting said container in an: i'nclinedYposition suchthat the area ofgthc iree' surface ofthegfiuent matter out of contact *with the innerwall surface ofthe container is sufficiently increased. to precludefburs'tingJof, the container upon freezing of the contents thereof,

and' rem'oving heat from the container contents by conduction o fsaid heat thrz'mglziv at least twofwail surfaces of'the container to-arefrigerant circulating, in: heat I exchange therewith and;capable of "i producingna' t mperature at least as low as the "freezing point of "said contents. V

2;; The method of refrigerating, in 'a closed space ..-a container. placed-therein andfhaving contentsicomprising fluent .-matt er,,.saidmethod com- I prising the's'tepsgofl freezing the fluent matter by conducting .heat therefroin through at least two surfaces-10f the-container to a refrigerant capable of producing a temperature at least as low as the freezing :point-of said fluent rriatter andicir at- :in'g such. refrigerant "on 'opp'osite sides :of an air zpath' zin the closediispace and thereby" promoting circulation of cooled air across said container.

H v and v the latter enables ithe containers to be iipia'cedinandlremovedffromisaidxunim Inclining of fth'e coritainers. '-'44;'= l-land: D duces increased expansion surfaces andil iof liquidhontentsli thereofgand' this prevents 'damage, cracking -'or breaking of th'e containers zwhen said contents are frozen. =Containers placed in the shell-of unit I 5, asshown-and:described,:have at ieast twosurfaces orzat least the bottom and one side in contact with extremely cold bottomiand side walls --'of the shell or an extremely *cold wall of the latter a'n'd a' similar wall of one ofithe baflles v I The contentscf the containers will thus be quickly-frozen, '-whereupon-:said containers maybe-removedfrom theireirigerator and stored in a suitablecold storagezplace.

"It "will ofcb'u'rse be i understood i thatiplates with interconnected serpentine refrigerantconducting conduits or other forms ofiinterconnected refrig- "erarivc'onducting' conduits pressed thereinrmayi be employed on the Side-rean'frozit and bottom walls or theshil and on the baiiles ,2l and? 22, instead of the coils herein described, and that Ithe con duits of the plates could =be connected through said Walls and baffles and with the 3 pipes I II and 32 many-suitable mannerand, by any suitable means for these purposes. Accordingly, theexrpre'ssions means for refrigerating, ".ffreezing parts, "or wa like-employed in ithe claims are 3 intended Ito-cover plates, or any devices .orzmeans in anyY-type o'fxrefrigerating apparatusapplied 3;? Themethodofireirigeration which comprises i the steps of supp'ortingasealedlcontainer partly filled with contents comprising fluent' matter, which expands upon freezing, in an inclined position i'suchthat a sufficiently increased expansion :ssur'face tof ithe fluent matter :is leftin, the con vtairrer Eto gprevent bursting' thereof upon freezing Of-ISSfd =contents, Jana-freezin the contents of the container *while it is in said inclined positionby evaporating 1 a refrigerant inheat exchange .relaftion *with at least twoouter surface of said con- =itainer. 4 g

.Themethod-of refrigeration which comprises thesteps-otzsupportinga sealed container partly ifllled with :conten'ts comprising fluent matter,

' which expands upon freezing, on two supporting surfaces *so finclined :as *to .hold tthe container in such position that a.- sufliciently increased expan- ..si'on:surface of thefluent matter is. left inthecontainer1totpreuent bursting thereof :upon freezing :ofsaicl contents, and freezing the contents of the container, while it is positioned as aforesaid, by -5conduotingwhe1ttirom said contents to an evapo- ==rating-[refrigerantin, heat exchange relation with ,sard' twoiinclined supporting-surfaces.

"5. A device constructedto provide a compart- ;ment having an. inclinedbottom supporting surfface andianzadjacent inclined side supporting surfa'ce,--said-supporting surfaces being arranged :tolhoida sealedcontainer partly filled with contentsecomprisingiflueni: matter, which expands upon freezing in 1 an inclined position; such that "qtheca'rea of thefreesurface of thefiuent matter underlying an expansion spacein the container is increased sumcientlv to preclude. bursting of r ninsulated cabinet;v.a shell'of heat conducting said container upon freezing of said contents, and apparatus iorire'ezing the contents A 9! such inclined container. comprising means for circulating a ireezing'rnedium in heat enchangerela I tion with said inclined surfaces. 7

s. A device constructed to .pr'ovide receiptsment having an inclined bottomsupporting surface and an adjacent inclined slde supporting surface, said supporting surfaces being arranged to hold a sealed container partly filled with contentscomprising fluent matter, which expands upon freezing, in an inclined positionrsuch that asufllciently increased expansionsurface of the fluent matter is left inthe container to preclude,

bursting of said container upon freezing of said contents, andmeans for freezins'vthe contents of such inclined container comprising freezing apparatus having parts forjnaintaining an evaporating refrigerant in heat exchange relation with said inclined surfaces, I,

7. A device provided with a'pair of juxtaposed compartments having bottom walls inclined downwardly and: outwardly and inner and outer side walls inclined upwardly and outwardlyyand means for freezingcontent'sof containers ar ranged in thecompar'tment's in contact withcertain of said'walls, the inner walls being spaced from each other andfromthe tops and-bottoms of the compartments and provided with means for producing conditions which induceair to circulate through said compartments. 7 8, 'A device provided with. a pair of, juxtaposed compartments .having bottom walls inclined f downwardly and outwardly and outer. walls inclined upwardly and outwardly,,appa ra ior freezing contentsof. containers placed within the compartments" and supportedinv inclined positions by the inclined bottom and outer walls of the compartments, said freezing apparatusihavingmeansior evaporating a refrigerantin. heat exchange relation with saidwalls and the sur- 9. "In-areirigerator oi." the type comprising an and outwardlyv inclined side walls, said walls being arranged tov support sealed 1 containers partly filled with contents comprising fluent matter, whieh expands upon freezing, in inclined positions such that -sufliciently increased iexpansion surfaces; forithe -fiuent/matter are left in the containers vto prevent bursting thereof upon freezing of said contents, and means for freezing 1 ,evaporate a, refrigerant in the containers-"contents comprising means to heat exchange relation i-lwith the inclined shell walls and at leasttwo surfaces of each container.

Q I 10,, The method of refrigeratinga sealed and s partly filled container'having contents compris- Qingfiuentmatter which expands upon freezing, 20'

said -method ,comprising the steps of supporting said container in an-inclined position such that a sutiiciently increased expansion surface 01' the fluent matteris left in thecontainer to'preclude bursting thereof uponifreez'ing of said contents,

'26,, his in said jinclined position by conducting heat and ,freezingthe contents of the container while from the container contents through .not less than two different wall portions of the container to a freezing mediumsupplied -'adiac'ent both of said wall portions in heat exchange-relation Y 11. The method of refrigerating a commodity in aclosed space; said method comprising the stepsof circulating a freezing medium'in heat exchange relation with at least two surfaces of said commodity, andcirculatingsuch medium 1 on opposite sides of an air'path'in the closed space-and thereby promoting a circulation of cooled air; acrosssaid commodity.

' 12.. In a device of. the type Provided with a normal ly-closed space and means for circulating a faces'of the containers engasedthere itn, and

means for producing conditions conduciveito air circulation through the compartments comprisingspaced bailles forming innerside wallsthereoi' inclined upwardly and outwardly and having; top

portions below the tops of the; outer sidewalls of the compartments and bottom portions above the'bottoms ofsaidcompartmentst freezing medium adjacent'two surfaces of a comrnodityia rrariged in the closedspace, rneans'form- ;ing an air path in-the closed spaced open thereto .at n its opposite ends, and means for an such medium; :at opposite sides ofsaid path, and

thereby promoting circ lation of cooled air across "said commodity.

s an LARBSON. 

